# Skim Reader vs BetterNews

The clearest difference is update cadence: BetterNews at every 2 weeks against Skim Reader's monthly. BetterNews also leads on iOS requirement (17.0 vs 26.0). On price, ads, in-app purchases and device support there is nothing between them.

Both are free to download. Neither carries in-app purchases, so what you see is what you pay.

Skim Reader ships an update monthly, BetterNews every 2 weeks. The most recent releases landed on November 9, 2026 and November 5, 2026 respectively.

## The numbers

| Metric | Skim Reader | BetterNews |
| --- | --- | --- |
| Price | Free | Free |
| Rating | — | **[5.0 (5 ratings)](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/betternews/id6786482282/reviews)** |
| Number of ratings | — | **5** |
| In-app purchases | No | No |
| Ads | No | No |
| Update frequency | Monthly | **Every 2 weeks** |
| Monetization | — | Free |
| Size | 12 MB | 5 MB |
| Requires iOS | 26.0 | **17.0** |
| Devices | iPhone, iPad | iPhone, iPad |
| Age rating | 17+ | 12+ |
| Developer | [Lucas Young](https://appshunter.io/developer/303586609) | [Steven Truong](https://appshunter.io/developer/6786482584) |

## What reviewers say

### Skim Reader

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/skim-reader/id6758281041)

**In-app purchases:** none


### BetterNews

[App page](https://appshunter.io/ios/app/betternews/id6786482282)

A modern news reader for Hacker News, offering enhanced features like keyword following, personalized feeds, and direct messaging. Enjoy a built-in reader with customizable themes and text sizes for a superior reading experience.

**Highlights:** Personalized Home feed with keyword following, Keyword alerts for new stories, Built-in reader with customizable themes, Thread collapse rails and comment highlighting, Direct messages with verified users, Cross-device sync for favorites and read-state

**Features:** macOS Compatibility, Vision Pro support, iPhone Duo support

**In-app purchases:** none


## Frequently asked questions

### Is Skim Reader free?

Skim Reader is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Is BetterNews free?

BetterNews is free to download, with no in-app purchases.

### Do Skim Reader or BetterNews have ads?

Neither Skim Reader nor BetterNews shows ads.

### Which is updated more often, Skim Reader or BetterNews?

Skim Reader ships an update monthly, and BetterNews every 2 weeks. Most recently, Skim Reader was updated on November 9, 2026 and BetterNews on November 5, 2026.

---

*Compared by [AppsHunter](https://appshunter.io/) from daily US App Store data. Review summaries are generated from verbatim App Store reviews.*